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RESOTUTION
OF THE EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA FAMITY COUNCIT
REGARDING THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE GOVERNOR OF GEORGIA AND THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

WHEREAS, the "East Central Georgia Family Council" (hereinafter, "the Family Council") had its
original name as the "Gracewood Family Council"; and

WHEREAS, the Family Council was founded in July 1984; and

WHEREAS, the Family Council's mission is quality care and choice for every individual with
mental retardation and developmental disabilities (MR/DD), irrespective of race, national
origin, creed of family members, or place of residence; and

WHEREAS, the Family Council has been an advocate for quality life and safety of persons with
MR/DD who reside at the East Central Georgia Regional Hospital's Gracewood campus; and

WHEREAS, members of the Family Council have been actively engaged in advocacy by (a)
meeting Georgia State Legislators and Congressmen about issues impacting their family
members who reside in Intermediate Care Facilities for Persons with Mental Retardation
(lCFs/MR), (b) joining VOR, a national advocacy organization, and (c) attending VOR's annual
legislative thrust in Washington, D.C.; and

WHEREAS, members of the Family Council applied for a position on the Governor's Olmstead
Planning Committee which purpose is to develop a plan to transition people from lCFs/MR to
smaller settings; and

WHEREAS, the members of the Family Council were never acknowledged as applying for a
position on the Olmstead Planning Committee and were not accepted; and

WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court's Olmsteod decision mandates individual choice;
and

WHEREAS, the Governor of Georgia, the Honorable Sonny perdue, with the United States
Department of Justice, without consultation with families, entered into a legal agreement
that, if implemented, will displace lcF/MR residents against their best interests and withour
regard to choice, contrary to Olmsteod; and

wHEREAS, the United states Department of Justice has undermined the u.s. supreme courrs
Olmstead decision by being forceful and aggressive with regard to community transitions and
thereby omitting the element of resident choice, whether that be a communitv or ICF/MR
setting; and

WHEREAS, if everyone is forced to accept community living, then no one has choice; and

Fomily Council Resolution for Choice

November 30, 2010
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WHEREAS, the Olmstead decision does not exclude lCFs/MR as a choice; and

WHEREAS, the ideology of the U.S. Department of iustice and the Georgia Governor should not
supersede the needs, services and choices of the most frail, fragile, and vulnerable population
of Georgians with MR/DD; and

WHEREAS, the ideology of the professional should not take precedence over the family
member: and

WHEREAS, at the annual staffing the interdisciplinary team (lDT) has made a mockery of the
abilities of the most vulnerable and fragile population of people with MR/DD. The IDT has
reported that people with profound mental retardation who have the cognitive ability of
infants and no verbal skills have stated they want community living. The IDT has also suggested
these individuals can administer their own medication, learn money management, and other
such living skills.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE lT RESOLVED, that the East Council Georgia Family Council will step up to
the plate, rise to the occasion, remain advocates, and will reckon with the Governor, and the
U.S. Department of Justice, with passion, zeal, zest and steadfastness on behalf of Georgia's
most frail population with mental retardation and developmental disabilities; and

BE lT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution will be sent to the following officials,
and oth ers:

The Honorable Sonny Perdue, Governor of Georgia

The Honorable Nathan Deal, Governor-elect of Georgia
Frank E. Shelp, MD, MPH, Commissioner, Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and DD
Thomas Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the United
States Department of Justice
Roosevelt Freeman, Regional Director, Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services

Approved and adopted on the thirtieth (30'h) day of November 2010. We, the undersigned,
hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly adopted by the Executive Committee of
the East Central G

Roy Barrios, lmmediate Past President

Ann S. Knighton, Theresa Senior, Vice Presid ent
Komala Ba lakrish na n, Treasurer
Betty French, Member-at-Large
Hodgson, Secreta Robert Bradford, Member-at-Large
lrene Welch, Member-at-Large

Family Council Resolution for Choice

November 30, 2010